January 2025

Hey you -
Yes, you -
I see you standing there
at the window
that January morning: 
snowflakes falling outside
easy wind and downy flake.
Dawn had only begun to light up the sky,
and the world outside was blanketed
in silence.

Hey you -
Yes, you -
I know you standing there
at the window
that January morning:
chaos raging inside
the woods are … dark and deep.
A blizzard of fear, confusion,
anger, and doubt
had only just begun its assault.
The battle will be long.
Life you’d built was careening off a cliff you didn’t see coming
as  you rounded the bend of everyday life.
Every muscle in you poised to keep steady on the road;
survival isn’t guaranteed as you take this detour.

Had I been there on that morning
as the weight of the snow set in,
as you steeled yourself knowing a storm was coming,
I would have laid a shawl on your shaking shoulders
would have refilled your cup with tea,
added a little honey,
would have stroked the back of your hair,
And
would have whispered - quietly but with resolve  - 
You have what it takes.

Hey you -
Yes, you -
I still see you standing there.
Still standing there
at the window.
A pink sky now,
light winds;
snow falls as it does every January,
and the world is again blanketed 
in silence.

You’re still standing.
Still standing.
You have promises to keep.
A gentle curl of your lips graces your face;
a gentle curl of steam rises from your mug.
You’re still standing,
my dear,
still standing,
like I knew you would.